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Pacific Notes: Suns, Beasley, Fredette, Kings

September 3rd, 2013 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

When Ryan McDonough was hired as the Suns' new general manager earlier this offseason, he didn't exactly have a low bar to clear, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Coro's latest column examines the track record of McDonough's predecessor, Lance Blanks, noting that many of the players acquired by Blanks have since departed for little or no return.

Even the successful signings and acquisitions made during Blanks' tenure can often be attributed to someone else in the front office, according to Coro, who says that owner Robert Sarver was more responsible for the addition of Goran Dragic than Blanks, who wanted Raymond Felton.

Here's more on the Suns, plus a couple other links from around the Pacific Division:

  • Because the Suns didn't waive Michael Beasley on or before August 31st, the team will now pay off his $6MM salary for this season at normal intervals, but would still be able to stretch the $3MM he's owed for 2014/15, as Randy Hill of FOX Sports Arizona details.
  • Jimmer Fredette is among the "make-or-break" players highlighted by Zach Lowe in his latest piece for Grantland. Fourth-year option decisions are due on Fredette and others before the end of October, and if the Kings decide not to pick up that 2014/15 option, the 2011 lottery pick would hit unrestricted free agency next summer.
  • The Kings have agreed to hire Joel Abelson to coach their D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Abelson was the head coach of the D-League's Sioux Falls Skyforce last season.
  • Despite his recent off-court issues, former Clipper Lamar Odom deserves more than to be written off as an NBA player, says Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times.
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Odds & Ends: Odom, Dentmon, T-Mac, Minnerath

August 30th, 2013 at 7:47pm CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of reports that Lamar Odom has been arrested on suspicion of DUI, at least one NBA general manager believes the veteran forward's NBA career is over.

"Just going by what he is giving you on the court, he would have been a risk anyway, maybe someone you give a partial guarantee to just to see if he can turn things around," the GM told Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. "But with the circus that’s around him off the court now, no way."

As Odom continues to work through his off-court issues, let's check in on a few more odds and ends from around the Association:

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Clippers Notes: Jamison, Odom, Mullens

August 28th, 2013 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers reached an agreement to sign Antawn Jamison earlier this week, but most of you don't expect him to make a significant impact for the team this season. When Alex Lee of Hoops Rumors asked last night how many points per game Jamison would score in the 2013/14 season, over 62% of you predicted a single-digit average for the veteran forward.

Here's more on the Clippers:

  • Grantland's Kirk Goldberry examines what the signing of Jamison means for the Clippers.
  • After adding Jamison, the Clippers are no longer interested in re-signing Lamar Odom, a source tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. However, Medina adds that the team would "welcome Odom to training camp," so it may just be a matter of not wanting to guarantee him any money. Odom's alleged drug problems almost certainly played a part in that stance.
  • With 14 contracts on their books, the Clippers plan to fill the last roster spot in training camp, according to Medina. It's worth noting that once Jamison's deal becomes official, L.A. will have 13 players on guaranteed contracts. Maalik Wayns also has a non-guaranteed pact, and Brandon Davies reportedly agreed to a partially guaranteed deal earlier in the summer, though the team has yet to announce it. In any case, it seems that there could conceivably be two spots up for grabs in camp.
  • Byron Mullens knows that some fans and observers are wondering why the Clippers would sign him, but he tells Eric Patten of Clippers.com that he intends to prove his doubters wrong. Mullens inked a two-year, minimum-salary contract last month.
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Reaction To Antawn Jamison’s Deal With Clippers

August 26th, 2013 at 5:54pm CST by Chuck Myron

Minimum-salary signings usually don't generate much buzz, but when it's a player who averaged double-figure scoring for 13 consecutive seasons, the rules are different. Antawn Jamison put up a career-low 9.4 points per game last season in 21.4 minutes per contest, another low watermark, but he felt capable of a larger role. Here's more on his L.A. switch from the Lakers to the Clippers, as we detail here: 

  • The Clippers have had interest in signing both Jamison and Lamar Odom, but the effect that recent rumors of personal trouble for Odom will have upon his chances of joining the club is unclear, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Even with Jamison, the Clippers have an open spot on the regular season roster.
  • Jamison was "hardly" interested in rejoining the Lakers, Medina writes in the same piece. The forward was turned off by infighting among his teammates and he didn't have the best relationship with coach Mike D'Antoni, who made him a healthy scratch for six straight games last season.  
  • The Bulls and Grizzlies had interest in Jamison, as a weekend report indicated, but his preference all along was to join the Clippers, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
  • Jamison's meeting with Doc Rivers earlier this month essentially cinched the deal, as Rivers prioritized bringing aboard a veteran without an ego who's eager to win a championship, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). The Clippers envision Jamison as a mentor for Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, Shelburne adds in a separate tweet.
  • Jamison is joining a contender, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors predicted. “This is a good fit for me. Hopefully, I’m the player that can help take the team over the edge (for a title),” Jamison told Spears (Twitter link).
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Latest On Lamar Odom

August 26th, 2013 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Agent Jeff Schwartz has disputed media reports that Lamar Odom is missing, telling ESPN.com's Marc Stein that playing in the NBA next season "is still very much part of Lamar's plans." However, a source tells ESPN that Odom is currently in a Los Angeles hotel where friends are "trying to get him help for an unspecified drug problem."

The details of Odom's situation remain unclear, as Schwartz didn't disclose any specifics, but it seems his NBA career may be on hold until he resolves some off-court issues. Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News hears from a source that the Clippers still have some interest in Odom, though a deal doesn't seem overly likely, since the club is also talking to Antawn Jamison. The Lakers touched base with Odom early in July, but no longer have interest in signing him, according to Medina.

A month ago, a report indicated that Odom only had interest in playing for a Los Angeles team, so if the Lakers are out of the mix, the Clippers may represent his last chance at an NBA contract for the coming season.

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Odds & Ends: Pierce, Odom, Collins, Cavs

August 25th, 2013 at 9:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Sixers took their time in appointing a head coach this summer so it's no surprise to see them making late additions to the staff.  Today, Philadelphia plucked Grizzlies assistant Lloyd Pierce to work alongside head coach Brett Brown, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo (on Twitter).  Here's more from around the Association..

  • A close contact of Lamar Odom told Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork (on Twitter) that even though Odom "is going through a lot in his personal life" he wants to join the Lakers.
  • Nets coach Jason Kidd acknowledged that Jason Collins was a candidate to join the team this offseason, but there's no longer a place for the center with 15 men on the roster, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.  “I think he can still play,” Kidd said. “His knowledge as a veteran. There’s always a veteran that can help a young team. I think he’ll find a job at some point here.”
  • Contrary to a report back in May, the Cavs don't plan to bring Hungarian center Greg Somogyi in to training camp, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer.  The 7'3" big man was with the Lakers, and coach Mike Brown, in training camp last season.  The Cavs are still putting together their training camp roster, but they have invited St. Mary's point guard Matthew Dellavedova and are considering former Georgetown forward Henry Sims.
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Odds & Ends: Odom, Brown, Mudiay, Mavs

August 24th, 2013 at 10:50pm CST by Spencer Lund

A number of outlets have relayed the TMZ report last night that 33-year-old free agent forward Lamar Odom has been battling a "hardcore" drug addiction for the past two years. Odom hasn't failed an NBA-mandated drug test since 2001, but the report claims he entered a drug treatment facility in San Diego last summer and was clean during the 2012/13 season with the Clippers before beginning to use again this summer.

Odom averaged a career low 4.0 PPG and 1.7 APG in 19.7 MPG while appearing in all 82 games with the Clippers last season. Here's what else is happening around the league during a quiet, late-August Saturday night:

  • Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer spent the day with new Sixers coach Brett Brown's family in Portland, Maine.
  • Adam Zongoria of Zagsblog.com describes how SMU coach Larry Brown landed the top class of 2014 high school point guard, Emmanuel Mudiay, who announced his decision at halftime of Brooklyn's Elite 24 game tonight. Zongoria opines that Mudiay will be a one-and-done player and a likely lottery pick in the 2015 draft. 
  • The Trail Blazers made a lot of moves to improve their league-worst bench from last season. One of those additions, Dorell Wright, is profiled by the Oregonian's John Canzano. 
  • HoopsWorld's senior NBA writer Bill Ingram tweets that the rumors Dwight Howard issued an ultimatum that Mike D'Antoni be fired and Kobe Bryant amnestied in order to re-sign with the Lakers "seem silly" since Howard chose the Rockets early on. Ingram also wonders, via Twitter, what it says about Howard (assuming the reports are accurate) for him to think he has anything on Bryant.
  • Mavericks owner Mark Cuban answered questions on the new "Fox Sports Live" program last night, as transcribed by The Dallas Morning News. He discusses flip-flopping on wanting Dwight Howard in free agency this summer, whether the Mavs are rebuilding this coming year, and the health of 35-year-old franchise star Dirk Nowitzki.
  • The Mavs are also one of the eight teams wearing the new GPS tracking devices, reports The Dallas Morning News.
  • ESPNNewYork.com's Jared Zwerling tweets that former St. John's star Justin Burrell, who has played overseas since graduating in 2011, will play for Italy's Montepaschi Siena this coming season.
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Heat Notes: Wade, Odom, Riley, LeBron

August 24th, 2013 at 10:30am CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at the latest out of South Beach..

  • A rumored meeting with Dwyane Wade and Pat Riley wooing Lamar Odom this summer didn't happen, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.  Furthermore, Wade said he removed himself from the team's free agent recruitment this offseason. "I left that all to them," Wade said. "I got away, understanding that we have little that we can do. And Pat Riley is the best at what he does, so he's fine. We all understand the nature of the beast, what we're dealing with."
  • Winderman also spoke with NBPA treasurer James Jones about LeBron James' decision not to run for union president and his own aspirations within the union.  Jones doesn't sound poised to make a run for president after Chris Paul is done with the job and says that he's happy to put his finance degree to use wit his current role.
  • In today's mailbag, one reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if the acquisition of Greg Oden is overshadowing Chris Andersen.  Winderman explains that Oden is not in Miami to replace Birdman by any means, but rather to serve as a complement to him.  Last year, Andersen struggled with certain matchups to the point where he had to be held out of two games against the Spurs and Tim Duncan.
  • ESPN's J.A. Adande and Bomani Jones debate the contenders for the 2014 title, with particular focus on the Heat (video link).  The Pacers and Rockets are also among the teams covered.
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Clippers Tell Jamison They’re Waiting On Odom

August 15th, 2013 at 8:35pm CST by Ryan Raroque

According to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, one source says the Clippers have notified free agent forward Antawn Jamison that they are waiting for an answer from Lamar Odom, who is the more preferred target of the two at this point. Yahoo's Marc J. Spears (via Twitter) says that Jamison was led to believe he'd be joining the Clips before being notified of the team's pursuit of Odom today.  

The Clippers are willing to offer the veteran's minimum of $1.4MM, and although Odom would prefer more money, no other NBA team has made a higher offer (Twitter links). In addition to a strong recommendation from Vinny Del Negro, Spears tweets that head coach Doc Rivers is patiently waiting to sign the 6'10 forward after getting rave reviews of how great of a teammate he is. The 14-year-veteran appeared in all 82 contests for LAC last season, averaging 4.0 PPG and 5.9 RPG in 19.7 MPG. Odom's shooting percentages (39.9% overall and 20.0% from three) were far below his career averages, although he did hit long range shots at a higher clip in the postseason (35.7%). 

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Odds & Ends: Free Agents, PEDs, Diawara

August 3rd, 2013 at 7:04pm CST by Michael Pina

A few random notes from around the league on this Saturday afternoon.

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